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Monthly Archives: November 2017

An authentic Spanish restaurant can provide you with a dining experience that you will remember for a long time. If you are unfamiliar with the cuisine, learn about the typical foods before you go so you are prepared to make the right menu choices.

Tapas

Before delving into your meal, you might experiment with a few tapas. Tapas are appetizers or snacks available for order before the main meal. In Spain where residents often eat their meal late in the evening, people may snack on tapas between the time they get off work and the time they are ready for their meal. They may feature seafood such as anchovies or squid. Olives and chilies are a common ingredient. For seasonings, expect garlic, paprika, cumin, saffron, salt, and pepper. Bread often accompanies tapas, which you can use for dipping into the sauces.

Dinners

A variety of entrees are available in a Spanish restaurant. Tortillas are a mainstay, serving as the main ingredient in burritos, soft tacos, or enchiladas. Tamales, while not native of Spain, are a popular menu item. Tamales usually have meat tucked inside the flavorful bundles. Paella features rice, seasoned with numerous strong spices such as saffron and cumin. It’s common for paella to have meat or fish added to it to round out the dish. Refried beans typically come from cooked pinto beans. After cooking the beans until they are soft, the chef will add a variety of seasonings to give them a hearty flavor.

Desserts

If you have a sweet tooth, you can usually find plenty of options on the dessert menu. Tarta de Santiago is a traditional almond cake, named to honor Santiago, the patron saint of Spain. Bizcochos borrachos is a delightful sponge cake with a topping of brandy sauce drizzled over it. Flan is a light and flavorful custard that will top off a full meal in a memorable way.

Beverages

The classic sangria may be one of your first choices for a beverage. This delightful mixture of brandy, wine, juice, and fruit chunks will provide refreshment when you drink it over ice. Rioja wine is famous in the northern regions of Spain. This red wine is an excellent accompaniment with steaks and other red meats. If you’re celebrating, consider cava wine, which is the Spanish equivalent to champagne. This sparkling white wine is the perfect choice when you are having poultry or some lighter fare.

Ask your server about the level of heat in anything you consider ordering. It is pretty typical for a Spanish restaurant to use a numeric rating system for their entrees to help patrons determine which meals to order. If you have sensitive taste buds, stay away from anything rated over a “1.” People with conditioned systems may be able to manage spicier meals without issue. Don’t forget to enjoy the ambiance as you dine. The decor, lighting, and music are all integral parts of the experience, enabling you to get a taste and a sense of what it might be like to dine in Spain or Mexico.

Good planning means asking as many questions upfront as is prudent. Better that you know limitations in advance – and perhaps negotiate a better package.

Event planners, be it for corporate or family events, have much to think about: Who is coming, what is the event about, how can it be memorable or motivate attendees to do something?

In recent years, at least one question has gotten bigger: Where can we hold the event? In the past, that often had to do with the availability of an on-site kitchen.All good!

But even with tacos served from a mobile kitchen – most mobile taco caterers have several, such that an event serving a large crowd might have stations set up around the periphery – there are questions that should be asked beyond menu and price. Here is a short list:

1. What kinds of healthy taco choices do you provide?

Tacos can be a complete meal, one that features a good mix of protein, carbs and fiber, with lots of quality nutrients within. Be sure to accommodate gluten-free guests.

2. What can you tell me about the freshness of your ingredients?

Some caterers may work from frozen ingredients and others from a fresh produce market. It’s good to have some dialog about it.

3. What certifications does your company have?

Different towns and cities have different rules regarding taco caterers. Ask to make sure your caterers are in compliance with local laws and that they are licensed and insured.

4. Aside from the existing menu, can I add an ingredient or menu item?

What’s awesome about tacos is their versatility. If you want calamari or turkey tacos, ask!

5. What are the rules of bar service?

Many taco catering firms provide an optional margarita bar or other beverage service. Some lack the proper licensing to do so.

6. Where can I see feedback from past customers of your product and service?

You can consult with Yelp! or other review services, although everyone knows there can be misrepresentation in online reviews. You might be able to phone an actual previous customer to see if they were satisfied with the service.

7. What happens on the event day, from start to finish?

Map out how it happens – how early the caterers arrive, along with the margarita bar, which requires its own setup – when service begins and ends, and what happens in terms of clean up.

Event planners, professionals as well as private party hosts, should be able to enjoy an event once it’s underway. By asking all the important questions upfront, they have a much better chance of actually doing that.